Machine for dyeing fabrics



w. E. CAFFRAY 9 ,954

MACHINE FOR DYEING FABRICS Feb. 10, 1931.

Filed 001;. l, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR I I; i: 4 l

4 ATTOFZEY Feb. 16, i931. w. E. CAFFRAY MACHINE FOR DYEING' FABRICS Filed 001;. l, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE T 0 ATTORNE wiLLIAM E. .QAEFRAY, or NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, FACTU'RING ooiviren or nesnnn, new

Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAMPSHIRE MACHINE .FQR DYEmG FABRICS Applicationfiled October 1, 1928. Serial No. 309,532.

This invention relates to machines and 7 apparatus for dyeing fabrics.

In the usual method of vat dyeing the color-or dye is applied to the goods in a reduced oonditionand in an alkalinesolution in order-to makethe dye-adhere to the fibre of the goods. In applyingcertaincolors, as for example, indanthrene blues, to some goods, particularlycertaingrades of cotton fabrics, it is difficult to obtain the desired degree-of penetration of-the-dye. The present invention dealsespecial'ly with this problem. It aims to improve the machines for-dyeing rfabrics with a View to handling the goods'rapidly and economically, while the same time producing a more satisfactory penetration of {the dye than has been possible heretofore. I V r In a typical vat dyeing process :the dye is reduced by sodium hydrosulphite and is applied to the goods in a causticsoda solution. After the fabriclias been run through the dye bath it is=then washed with water, the dye is oxidized as by running it through .a bath of potassium bichroma'te or =-,otl1er oxidizing agents, the goods-are again washed, given a usual soaping treatment, andthen given .a final washing and drying. It iscontemplated that the machine provided by this invention maybe used in-one or more of thesesteps which arecolla'teral toor go with ,the main step i of applying-the dyestufl' tot-he cloth, or

in the application of direct or'other dyes to the goods, although the I problem of penetration is not usuallyastroublesomehere as with vat dyes. The term dye or dye bath,

therefore, will'be used'herein to designatethe liquid used in the machine, whether or not it is a dye stuff or one oftheiliquids or solutions usedin an operation collateraltodyeing.

The nature of the invention will bereadilyunderstood from the following description whenread inconnection with theaccolnpanylag drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. V

In thedrawings,

' Figure 1 is a side view sofaxmachineembodyingthisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the machine shown in Fig. 1

Fig.3 is an endview'of a-portionof themachine shown in Fig. '1, certainofithe parts be ing broken away in order better to illustrate the'construc'tion; and

Fig.4 -is a sectional viewof a modification.

Accordingto the preferred .praotice, a web of cloth is fed continuously through dye bath and thebath is sucked through :the cloth while it is submerged in the-dye and is moving through it. If the dye bath is made of the properconsistency, which canreadilybe done i by suitably proportioning :the liquid and.

solid constituents fthe bath, as will beobvious to anyone skilled. in i this art, :the suction will result in producing a good penetration of the bath through the fibre of the oods..-.-.

b The machine-shown .in the drawings coinpr1ses;a-ta-nk2 adaptedto hold aquantityof dye bath and preferably :provided with a jacket 3 through which steam can 'becirculated to maintain the bath at the desired temperature. Mounted in the tank 2 is a-ro1l 4 which revolves idly andtwosuctiontubes 5 and 6, respectively, are mounted-just. above the roll and parallel with .it. Each of these tubes'has a narrow slotinione side thereof, as bestshown in Fig. 4, this slot extending for nearly the -entire lengthof the tube. Pipes 7 and 8 connect thetubesto the intake end of a rotary eXhaust'pumpiQ whichiis mountedatone side of the tank and servestoniaintain a strong vacuum in bothof theitubes'5 and6.

The .liquid color.or dye bathm'ay be de-.

livered to the tank 2in any convenient manner, and an overflow p1pe:1O,jF1g.:3, 1s iprovidedto limit-the maximum level. of the dyebath-in thetank, the upper end of this pipe being located at a somewhatihigher level than the tubes -5 and 6. Immediately above the tank 2 two squeeze rolls ltand 15 are pro-. vided, the shaft of the lower .roll 14 being equipped with a pulley .16 by means of which the rolls 'niayzbe'driven. Inorder to apply 1 pressure to :the fabric passing between the rolls ,tllelupper roll 15 is supported intwo levers 17 ;l7, Figs. jrland 3, which-arecon- 'nected by upright {links il8+l8tofapproxi ess'rgnontrolneslinaivumonanPsnrn-n, A ,oonronn'rronon new mately horizontal levers 19-19 fulcrumed on the machine frame. Weights 20-2() are adjustably mounted on the latter levers and operate through the links 18 and levers 17 to press the upper roll 15 against the lower roll 14.

Chains 2121 are connected to the levers 1919 and run over drums 2222 both mounted fast on a shaft 23,which is journaled in the upper part of the machine frame. Ratchets 24-24 are associated with the respective drums and each ratchet has a pawl or dog 25 to cooperate with it. A hand wheel 26 is mounted on the shaft 23 and by turning this hand wheel the chains 2121 may be partly wound on their respective drums, thus lifting the levers 19-19 and raising the upper squeeze roll 15 away from its cooperating roll. The dogs 25 25 cooperate with their respective ratchet wheels to lock the upper roll in its elevated position. This mechanism is desirable to facilitate the threading of the web through the machine and for other purposes.

The web of cloth W to be dyed may be drawn from a box, truck, or any convenient source, and usually is fed through some sort of a tension device, over a guide pulley 12, Fig. 1, and a mackerel back 13, into the tank 2. The fabric then passes across one side of the suction tube 5, around the roll 4 and across the suction tube 6 to the squeeze rolls 14: and 15 which are located immediately above the tank. The feeding movement of the cloth through the tank may be produced either by the action of the squeeze rolls or by the soaping machine into which the web travels immediately after leaving the dyeing machine.

As the cloth passes through the bath in the tank 2 a certain amount of the dye or color soaks into it, but the penetration of the dye into the cloth is greatly facilitated by the suction maintained in the tubes 5 and 6. That is, 'as the web of cloth passes across the slots in these tubes it substantially closes these slots and the air pressure on the liquid in the tank forces this liquid through the cloth, the pressure so applied depending upon the degree of vacuum maintained in the suction tubes. The surplus dye bath is squeezed out of the fabric as it passes between the rolls 14. and 15 and some additional penetration of the liquid into the fabric occurs at this point. It has been definitely determined in actual mill practice that the machine produces a very superior penetration of the dye stuff in the fabrics which have proved very troublesome in this respect heretofore.

In this machine the fabric is alternately wet with the dye bath and then the liquid bath is sucked through it. The number of these alternate operations or steps may be varied in accordance with the nature of the fabric, the consistency of the dye bath, and

other practical considerations. In some cases a single suction tube may be suflicient, and it is not always necessary or desirable to have the final suction applied to the goods while it is still submerged in the dye bath. In this machine provision has been made for duplicating the roll and suction tube arrangement at the opposite side of the tank. This modification is shown in Fig. 1 in which the roll 4 and suction tubes 5 and 6 are arranged eX- actly as in the construction shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed that the roll a is mounted in a pocket or depression in the left-hand side of the tank 2, and another such depressi on or pocket is made in the right-hand side of the tank. Another roll 4: and suction tubes 5 and 6 are located in the latter side of the tank, as clearly shown in Fig. 4C, and the web W, as it leaves the tube 6, is guided over the tube 5, around the roll 4, and then across the tube 6, passing from the last named tube to the squeeze rolls 14: and 15.

It will be appreciated that the machine permits a very rapid and eflicient handling of the goods in addition to producing a superior penetration, and that it provides for the convenient delivery of the goods to the next succeeding machine.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. For example, the slots in the vacuum tubes may be of other forms or may consist of a series of holes, these variations, however, being equivalents of the slotted construction shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I. desire to claim as new is:

1. In a dyeing machine, the combination of a tank adapted to hold a quantity of dye bath, two parallel stationary suction tubes mounted in said tank closely adjacent to each other in position to be submerged in the dye bath, aroll in said tank located closely adj acent and parallel to said tubes but at a different elevation from them, additional guiding means cooperating with said roll and tubes to guide a web of cloth over one tube, around said roll, and then over the other tube, each of said tubes having a slottherein arranged to be substantially closed by said web, and means for maintaining a partial vacuum in both of said tubes.

2. In a dyeing machine, the combination of a tank adapted to hold a quantity of dye bath, two parallel stationary suction tubes mounted in said tank closely adjacent to each other in position to be submerged in the dye bath, a roll in said tank located closely adjacent to and parallel with said tubes but positioned below the tubes, additional guiding devices cooperating with said roll and tubes to guide a web of cloth over one tube around said roll and then over the other tube, each of said tubes having a slot therein extending longitudinally thereof in the side adjacent to the opposite tube whereby both of said slots will be substantially closed by said Web, and means for maintaining a partial vacuum in both of said tubes.

WILLIAM E. CAFFRAYr 

